Mob City review: Jon Bernthal stars in the mob noir drama

With blokes called Bugsy, wise guys, machine guns, fedoras and lines like "see ya toots", Mob City certainly didn't shy away from film noir cliché in its opening episode. In fact, it immerses itself so deep into the genre that it is occasionally guilty of losing its way in this opening episode.

Created by former Walking Dead showrunner Frank Darabont and packing an impressive cast list (Jon Bernthal, Milo Ventimiglia, Neil McDonough), this cigarette-smoke laced gangster series has been on our radar since it first went into development under the name LA Noir.

Based in 1940s Los Angeles, where a battle is raging between the gangs and the police, the story centres on Bernthal's detective Joe Teague. Occupying a hazy middle ground between the police and the criminals, the white caps and the grey caps, he's a fairly standard rugged TV anti-hero.

Bernthal fits the bill as the mysterious lead who keeps his cards so close to his chest, we're still not entirely sure where he sits in the crime divide. Meanwhile, the slick production,jazz soundtrack and impressive guest turn from Simon Pegg as comedian-turned-blackmailer, meant that the opening hour passed at a sharp pace.

However, somewhere in the middle of obsessing over the era and the style, Mob City struggled to find a beating heart. Maybe it will come - Neal McDonough's Bill 'The Boy Scout' Parker was sadly underused in the opener - but for the time being, this feels like just another mob drama rather than a great one.

Police being run ragged by corruption and crime. One lone cop, maintaining a moral code and attempting to hold the force together. Dirty deals, backstabbing and husky voiceovers from our anti-hero. The meal may look good, but it tastes a bit bland.

Maybe we've been spoilt when it comes to period gangsters in recent years. The scope and scale of Boardwalk Empire means that no amount of cigarette smoke and dashing suits is going to blow us away anymore. Noir-lovers will get a thrill from Mob City, but it currently feels like it's lacking ambition when compared to its contemporary rivals.

The show was rushed out with double bill episodes and little fanfare in the US before Christmas, baffling many who had been pretty hyped about a new Darabont project. Perhaps, after watching this premiere episode, the decision has become a little clearer.

Mob City airs on Friday nights on Fox.

Did you enjoy the first episode of Mob City? Let us know your thoughts below.